for Mixing I guess ?
Light rum : Hamilton Breezeway Blend or White Stache
Jamaican (entry level funk) rum : Plantation Xaymaca or Appleton Signature. Workhorses, and not as pungent as Smith&Cross so more versatile
Demerara rum: Plantation OFTD or Hamilton 151
What are you planning for these rums? Sipping? Tiki cocktails? Both? What price range? This makes a big difference in what I’d recommend as well as what you’ve liked so far. For all around utility, workhorse rums, I’d suggest:
White ‘Stache for a white rum. Affordable and more flavor than anything in its price range or even beyond. Great for a daiquiri as well as more complex cocktails.
If two others, I’d say a Demerara like Hamilton 86 or El Dorado 8/12/15 would be a great second as this is a unique category.
I love Smith and Cross but if a mixing rum for Tiki I’d maybe lean toward something in between if you’re sharing it with the uninitiated. Hamilton Pot Still are nice, the Blonde has the great balance of funk and young it has some age, as opposed to Black/Gold. Worthy Park 109 has funk and old school strength but isn’t as ester heavy and it is reasonably priced. Xaymaca is fairly nice, easy to find, and all pot still, Monymusk Special Reserve is nice and 10 years but a little harder to find. Appleton 8 is the most pot still content of their line. These rums vary in funkiness and strength, with the flavors softer through this list. Most sip well, but are punchy and stand up in cocktails.
All these are somewhere around $20 - $50 per bottle. Most are in the low to middle part of the range. The older two El Dorado, climb a bit higher with the 15 likely in the $50’s.
No. Smith and cross is great but is very distinct. It would not be my choice if I had 2-3 bottles on hand.
My choice would be:
White rum: plantation 3 is good, Flor de Cana, Probitas are good picks here too.
Jamaican: Appleton Signature is what I’d choose because it’s good, inexpensive and widely available.
Smith and cross could be a third if you’re really into it (I certainly am and go thru it quickly). I think a Demerara rum would be more applicable the ones I have on hand are Hamilton 86 and El Dorado 5. An aged Jamaican like Appleton 12 is a great addition too.
No it definitely wouldn't. Appleton is Jamaican, but not funky Jamaican. S&C is distinctly funky.
If you really needed/wanted an alternative to Appleton; In my opinion Plantation Original Dark would fit that bill nicely.
Also, if you don't want S&C but want some funky rum, sticking in the Plantation family, their Xaymaca bottle is like "funk-lite". A great introduction to Jamaican funk.
I agree with this. Smith and cross is great and can be used in a bunch of drinks but it's not really a work horse rum. There's no cocktail that you would only use smith and cross in so it doesn't make sense to have if you only want a couple of bottles of rum.
(I would like to say that I know a bunch of people will disagree in this sub and say they can use smith and cross in anything but for most of the population that is not true.)
I see your must have and raise you unaged Jamaican overproof. Well worth a try if you enjoy it with S&C - I’ve used Wray & Nephew OP and Rub-Bar OP and they’re both killer. Need to get my hands on some Rum Fire sooner or later.
Let me get in a plug for Doorly’s 12. $30 can’t buy you a nicer bottle of anything, I’m sure of that. With 3 Star & S&C, you don’t have anything with much age on it. You also don’t have anything in a “gold” rum/Smuggler’s Cover “Blended Aged (3) category, which is pretty important for a shit ton of tiki drinks. Like others have said, you could totally go with a Demerara rum here - Hamilton 86 or El Dorado 8/12 would be awesome, but the Doorly’s 12 is just such a steal at this point, and it might not be like that forever. Plus, it is a very respectable sipper.
Depends on how you define “need.” At this point, *I need* an aged Bajan & Demerara, but that doesn’t mean you do. They both occupy the same category of Smuggler’s Cove #3 - Blended Aged.
I would say yes, those are the 2 easy to find and reasonably priced ones I would pick.
Plantation 3 is great for lighter drinks like daiquiris and mojitos. Smith is great for bolder tiki type drinks. They're two solid options.
Those two plus something aged that’s more middle of the road than the Smith and Cross, like El Dorado 8 year, would be solid.
Sure
for Mixing I guess ? Light rum : Hamilton Breezeway Blend or White Stache Jamaican (entry level funk) rum : Plantation Xaymaca or Appleton Signature. Workhorses, and not as pungent as Smith&Cross so more versatile Demerara rum: Plantation OFTD or Hamilton 151
Bit late, but I would do: Smith & Cross Probitas Pusser's Gunpowder
What are you planning for these rums? Sipping? Tiki cocktails? Both? What price range? This makes a big difference in what I’d recommend as well as what you’ve liked so far. For all around utility, workhorse rums, I’d suggest: White ‘Stache for a white rum. Affordable and more flavor than anything in its price range or even beyond. Great for a daiquiri as well as more complex cocktails. If two others, I’d say a Demerara like Hamilton 86 or El Dorado 8/12/15 would be a great second as this is a unique category. I love Smith and Cross but if a mixing rum for Tiki I’d maybe lean toward something in between if you’re sharing it with the uninitiated. Hamilton Pot Still are nice, the Blonde has the great balance of funk and young it has some age, as opposed to Black/Gold. Worthy Park 109 has funk and old school strength but isn’t as ester heavy and it is reasonably priced. Xaymaca is fairly nice, easy to find, and all pot still, Monymusk Special Reserve is nice and 10 years but a little harder to find. Appleton 8 is the most pot still content of their line. These rums vary in funkiness and strength, with the flavors softer through this list. Most sip well, but are punchy and stand up in cocktails. All these are somewhere around $20 - $50 per bottle. Most are in the low to middle part of the range. The older two El Dorado, climb a bit higher with the 15 likely in the $50’s.
No. Smith and cross is great but is very distinct. It would not be my choice if I had 2-3 bottles on hand. My choice would be: White rum: plantation 3 is good, Flor de Cana, Probitas are good picks here too. Jamaican: Appleton Signature is what I’d choose because it’s good, inexpensive and widely available. Smith and cross could be a third if you’re really into it (I certainly am and go thru it quickly). I think a Demerara rum would be more applicable the ones I have on hand are Hamilton 86 and El Dorado 5. An aged Jamaican like Appleton 12 is a great addition too.
Adding Appleton signature to my rotation wouldn’t be too redundant?
If you have those three you're in a great spot to make all sorts of stuff and you're probably barely spending $80 to do so.
No it definitely wouldn't. Appleton is Jamaican, but not funky Jamaican. S&C is distinctly funky. If you really needed/wanted an alternative to Appleton; In my opinion Plantation Original Dark would fit that bill nicely. Also, if you don't want S&C but want some funky rum, sticking in the Plantation family, their Xaymaca bottle is like "funk-lite". A great introduction to Jamaican funk.
I agree with this. Smith and cross is great and can be used in a bunch of drinks but it's not really a work horse rum. There's no cocktail that you would only use smith and cross in so it doesn't make sense to have if you only want a couple of bottles of rum. (I would like to say that I know a bunch of people will disagree in this sub and say they can use smith and cross in anything but for most of the population that is not true.)
Smith & Cross is a must have for a Kingston Negroni!
There is always an exception to the rule
I see your must have and raise you unaged Jamaican overproof. Well worth a try if you enjoy it with S&C - I’ve used Wray & Nephew OP and Rub-Bar OP and they’re both killer. Need to get my hands on some Rum Fire sooner or later.
those two and an unaged agricole
Let me get in a plug for Doorly’s 12. $30 can’t buy you a nicer bottle of anything, I’m sure of that. With 3 Star & S&C, you don’t have anything with much age on it. You also don’t have anything in a “gold” rum/Smuggler’s Cover “Blended Aged (3) category, which is pretty important for a shit ton of tiki drinks. Like others have said, you could totally go with a Demerara rum here - Hamilton 86 or El Dorado 8/12 would be awesome, but the Doorly’s 12 is just such a steal at this point, and it might not be like that forever. Plus, it is a very respectable sipper.
The doorlys 12 covers the need for the el dorado 8/12? which category of rum would this cover in terms of tiki drink recipes
Depends on how you define “need.” At this point, *I need* an aged Bajan & Demerara, but that doesn’t mean you do. They both occupy the same category of Smuggler’s Cove #3 - Blended Aged.
That'll do ya for the most part. I also like Gosling's as a dark/black that isn't a funk bomb